The Edo State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, has condemned the attack on its members by political thugs during the collation and announcement of results of the All Progressives Congress, APC, governorship primary election in the state.
The union also issued seven-day ultimatum to the party to tender unreserved apology to it, threatening that it would boycott the party’s activities in the state if the demand was not met.
Edo State NUJ chairman, Comrade Festus Alenkhe stated the union’s position on Sunday at an emergency press conference in Benin City.
Arogidigba Global Journal had reported that scores of political thugs allegedly working for one of the governorship aspirants invaded the venue of the collation of results and attacked journalists, electoral officers and party members.
The thugs disrupted the collation and announcement of results in the presence of the State Commissioner of Police, Funsho Adegboye and other security personnel.
Alenkhe, who described the attacks on the journalists as odious, abominable, shameful and unacceptable, also urged the State Police Command to investigate the incident in order to arrest and prosecute the perpetrators.
He also asked the leadership of APC to pay the medical bills of the injured journalists, and also replace all the damaged equipment.
“The Nigeria Union of Journalists, Edo State council met on the directives of the national leadership and resolved that the State Council is fully ready to declare a media war against the All Progressives Congress if the following things are not meant.
“That APC, Edo State is expected to replace all the damaged equipment of Journalists that were covering the event, on the 17 day of February, 2024, pay medical bills of those injured during the attack. We demand for an unreserved apologize from the party.
“The Commissioner of Police in Edo State should help fish out all those who were responsible for the attack and ensure that they are prosecuted because the report says that some of them are very known as they never wore masks.
“We also want to request very strongly that the management of the hotel, where the incident happened, should make available to us the CCTV footage of the incident and this should be made public and also help the police in doing their investigations.
“Lastly, we want to say that the Edo State election coming up in September 21, 2024 is not a do-or-die,” Alenkhe said.